LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS—After reviewing evidence of the ivory-billed woodpecker gathered in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in April 2004, the Bird Records Committee of the Arkansas Audubon Society has voted to change the status of the bird in Arkansas from ''extirpated'' to ''present''.When I read this release, a few questions came to mind:
Max Parker, longtime curator for the Arkansas Audubon Society, received on June 17, 2005, verifying documentation for the extraordinary record from a member of the research team. The documentation was studied at length by all members of the Arkansas Bird Records Committee before the record was accepted.
...At least four of the five committee members must vote for acceptance before the sightings become part of the official record.
1. Why is the wording so vague, ie instead of saying "documentation for the extraordinary record from a member of the research team" why don't they just say that they are talking specifically about the video submitted by David Luneau? (Several sources tell me that that is the case).
2. Why was the video not submitted for nearly two months after the late-April announcement, and why was it not accepted until about five more months had passed?
3. Was the vote unanimous?
4. Why haven't the sight records been submitted?
5. By definition, the listed public skeptics (including Jackson, Prum, Robbins, and Sibley) are not convinced by the video. What does the Arkansas Bird Records Committtee see in the video that these highly-qualified skeptics don't see?
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